Lynden’s Birth Story

Lynden’s Birth Story. It was such an emotional roller coaster with the contractions starting early in December and then disappearing. Would I know true labor when it came?

Meet Lynden. She was finally born on 12/26/2020 at 4:18am and weighed 8lbs 13oz. Her due date was 12/18/2020.

I started having contractions at the beginning of December, but then they would disappear. This went on weekly until she was born. It was an emotional rollercoaster thinking “this was it” but it wasn’t. So when it came time to actually go to the hospital, I wasn’t sure if it was the real thing or not….Anyone else experienced this? Each pregnancy is different and this sweet girls was definitely one for the books.

I was addicted…. addicted to Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes (hold the whip) and their pumpkin bread (warmed up of course). I was addicted to long walks around my moms neighborhood (less hills than my neighborhood  ). One of my mom’s neighbor’s outdoor cat eventually knew our walking schedule and she would come along for the walks with us.

December felt like the longest month for us. I went into my OB the second week in December and I was 5cm dilated. My dr did a membrane sweep. My team of drs kept informing me, once she comes, she’s going to come fast. Needless to say, the sweep didn’t work. More walking, more Starbucks, and tons of my moms company, which was so nice to have her around and her covid tests done! (That’s a whole other story!) There was one late night, my contractions started, I called my mom to come over. She ended up staying the night (bless her soul for how much I put her through) and baby Lynden didn’t come. I told you, it was a rollercoaster full of emotions. I walked into my dr apt the 3rd week in December. My nurse couldn’t believe she was seeing me again. I was still sitting at 5cm! My dr conducted another membrane sweep. Yet again… it did not work. At this point, I came to realize this sweet babe was going to come when and how she wanted to.

I have now passed her due date- it had come and gone. I walked into my OB apt December 21st (that we almost didn’t schedule) and my nurse about fell to the ground- she could not believe I was still pregnant- all we could do was laugh. Another membrane sweep was conducted. Did it work- no! They were allowing me to go a week and a half past my due date.

Christmas Day- I woke up feeling heavy. It was a weird feeling. I just felt gigantic, low and just heavy. I sweated most of the day- except when my husband and I decided to put a trampoline together in -10 degree weather. You all were so wonderful with all your texts that day “maybe she will be a Christmas baby”. Your check up texts meant the world- thank you!

Overall, we had a great Christmas, had a slow morning with a hot cup of coffee (this probably made my sweats worse), ate way too much of our annual breakfast casserole and watched the one and only Disney parade. Our typical Christmas morning. After that, Christmas story is always on repeat on our tv- so glad my oldest loved it this year. My mom came over with Christmas dinner. Thank you mom and honey baked (no we did not want to cook this year and we are now obsessed with their side options. We always loved their ham). We had a wonderful day! My mom left after enjoying hot cocoa bombs with the boys while watching Elf.

It was about 10pm and everyone just fell asleep. I laid down but wasn’t feeling too well, sharp, sharp shooting back pains, and some contractions (nothing unusual that I hadn’t been experiencing for the past month.) I tried to lay there on social media, of course, to keep my mind off of it. It became midnight and I still hadn’t slept- Just tossed and turned. I gave up on laying down- it felt better if I sat on the edge of the bed, sooo that’s what I did. Nothing else just sat. 2AM came and the contractions got worse (again, nothing I wasn’t use to). But this time, I was getting hot and had some other symptoms. My husband kept telling me to call the dr but I kept letting him know they will go away. Welllll, they didn’t!! 2:45AM my husband called my mom “I think this is it we are headed to hospital.” (she was in charge of watching the boys- again bless her soul for everything she did for us!). Meanwhile, I called the dr on call and they said they were on their way. My mom rushed over and we were on our way to the hospital.

We got to the hospital around 3:30AM. All you mommas know, you have to get “checked in” and when you are in labor, it seems everyone is in slow motion. Finally, they called me and it took everything I had to get back to the room. Once we got into the room, I sat on the edge of the bed as the nurse asked way too many questions. Another nurse was getting blood or trying to, instead he left me a nasty bruise on my arm for about 2 weeks! I couldn’t talk, I was exhausted and they kept asking for my signature. She made it through one paper and checked my cervix- I was 8cm. The nurse called over for assistance. (No one came) She continued to try to go over paperwork with me. But I just needed to push! She said you can’t. Helloooo ya let me just nooot push! My water broke- she put a code in over the intercom and about 20 people came flooding into the room, within a second. It was a very chaotic moment. They kept saying to lay back, but I couldn’t… it hurt too bad. I just wanted to sit on the edge of the bed. I laid down (shaking uncontrollably) they were monitoring Lynden’s heart rate and as I laid on my back her heart rate would drop. I had to get her out. The midwife that was my angel took control as she pushed my legs up (firmly she said “come on get her out now!”) I pushed and Lynden was here 4:18am. The dr on the call team came running through the doors…. 2 minutes too late! I never got to say thank you to the wonderful midwife when I looked up she was gone.  I wish I could have hugged her, given her many thanks for her help. If it wasn’t for her, I think the outcome would have been different.

I wanted to share my journey with you for all you expecting mommas out there. I had a birth plan because they say to have one, right? But, this birth I learned you can’t control when a baby comes into the world or if your doctor is on call that night. I made it 41 weeks and 1 day.

I had three babies that all came into the world 3 different ways.. My first born was breeched, so I had a scheduled 38 week c section. My OB actually thought he was head down. However, when we had our last ultra sound, she couldn’t believe it- she wasn’t feeling his head in the last weeks… it was his butt. I remember her saying, “well, this is the first! I will never say a baby is head down again!” Loved her so much!!! Never thought I would find another amazing dr.

My second babe was a v back with an epidural (thankful for that epidural he was my biggest at 9lbs 9oz). I remember thinking well “will my water break”, “what do contractions feel like”, so many questions running through my mind. I stayed at the same practice and loved my new doctor. He was the only one that allowed me to have a v back. The other doctors were pushing me to do a c section and had one that actually scheduled me for my c section. I couldn’t BELIEVE IT! My doctor knew what I wanted so when I went into my 40 week appointment I was 2cm dilated. He performed a membrane sweep and confidently said, “see you tonight- I’m on call”. Sure enough that afternoon Rylan was born! And you just read my third child, Lynden’s birth story, natural and FAST!

Point is momma, birth is birth however the babe comes- every single birth for me was different, but all had their challenges. Not one was easier than the other. You got this momma- try to enjoy that roller coaster instead of trying to switch tracks!